Feeding mechanism



-' April 15, 1930. 'A. LATHAM 75 FEEDING MECHANISM Original F'iled Nov. 12. 9 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lima-s MZ/VJJE'EUUEW mama.

BY H /.5' A TTUR/VE r April 15, 1930. A. LATHAM 1,754,275

FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 12 1 2 Sheets-Shee 2 BYH/S A TTURNEK MMWIW nmnnmrnrnlim, DECEASED, LATE or BEV RLY; MASSACHUSETTS, mums w. i

Patented Apr. 15, 1930 i NOURBOURN, ADMINISTRATOR; OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 ing staples to a AMERICAN BUTTON & FASTENER 00., 0F AUGUSTA, MAINE, A CORPORATION on MAINE FEEDING MECHANISM Original applieation filed November 12,1 1921, Serial No; 514,621. Divided menus application f led 1 October 27, 1927. Serial No: 229,188.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding articles one byone from a mass, being; particularly adapted for thus delivermachine at which they are to be utilized. a h r p, a

An object of the invention is to effect the delivery of thearticles continuously and inva f predetermined position preliminary to operations which are to be performe'd upon them,

To this end, there are combined with an article-receptacleand an ,art1cle-conveyor, as a a j racewayleading from the receptacle, an article carrying or elevatmg member and a plu rality of co-operating article-positioning members, togetherwith means movable along and incontact with a series of the positioned articles toadvance them to the conveyor. By

this organization, the desired relation of the articles isobtained before] they are" acted upon bythe delivering means, andtheir advanceto i the conveyor is rapidand orderly, ,The phi fral positioning membersare especiallyuseful when itmay bedesired to adjust the articles symmetricallyupon a carryingmember from a displaced relation either to one side or the other of a desiredcentral position. Such a conditionis likely to exist with staples, which a may hang byweither extreinityof their yokes upon the carrying member. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, both the carry a 1 ing memben which elevates the articles from h the mass in the receptacle, and the positioning members, which are preferably at the inner and outer sides of the carrying member, are, the form of cylinders movable through an annular opening in the bottom of said recep tacle}. The delivering member appears as af brush. Vvhatever the form of the members i engaging the articles, there ispreferablyimparted to one or more a plurality of art cle? engaging movements for each movement of an associated member; :Herein the position,

ing members are disclcsedjas moved at a'different rate fromthe elevatingmember, the

" efi'ectbeing to first holdthe article-engaging portions of the membersin substantial aline ment, and then toseparate these. This causes the articles to be, effectively received from the mass, centralized, elevated and deliveredf a Such article-engag ng movements as above fixed inits adjusted position by a collar outlined are obtained,in the present instance,

by means of actuating mechanisms individual to the engaging members, meansmovable with one of the engaging members being arrangedto modify the actuating mechanism TES PATENT OFFICE Figs. 4,5 and 6 are sectional details ofrthe co-operating edges of the feeding cylinders,

showing them in successive positions. a Supported at one side of a frame-section 101 isa staple-cfeeder-casing 200, at, tlietop of which is carried a staple-receptacle or hopper,

2021 The receptacle iscylindricah haying a downwardly and inwardly inclined bottom 204, terminatingat an annular space 205 be tween it and the lower portion of an inner bell-shaped wall206. This wall is carried by a cylindrical, upward extension 208, fixed in thecentralopening ofthe hub of a spider 210 secured upon the top of the hopper202, the

end of this extension being threaded to receive a nut 212, which carries the Weight of the wall 206. upon the spider. The top of the hopper202 is closed by a cover 214 having an axial pe i gl n w i maybe centered by a inverted cup 216 formed as a depending skirt from the nut 212. To limit the flow :of

staples S to the opening 205, preventing them I from gathering n tooigreatmasses at the points fromwhlchthey are to be elevated, a

cylindricalwall 218 hasfla central hub sur-- rounding, the extension 208, it beingsupport ed upon a screw/220 turning in the hub of the spider and being threaded intothe hub of the wall. By rotatingthe screw 220, the wall 218 may be raised and lowered so that Ithespace between} its lower edge. and the bottom of 1 the hopper maybe variedto control the flow of staples therethrough. The screw maybe Add surrounding the extension 208 and having a 1 slot in its side to engage and hold the squared head of the screw. This retaining collar is shown'as heldin placeby the nut'212.

r Movable vertically through the annular space 205 in the bottom of the hopper are a central,--cylinduical elevating or feeding wall 224and concentric, inner and outer elevating and positioning walls "226, 226 contacting with the centralwalland-being guided by a cylindrical portion 228 of the casing 200, which supports the hopper upon the casing 101. The central wal lz224 is fixed upon a disk 230, fast upon a spindle 232 guided in the casing 101 and in an axial. bore in the extension 208. The spindle is yieldably mounted a'tits lower extremity upon'aslidei234 movable in vertical ways in thecasing 101, there be inga helical'spring 236=surrounding a sleeve 26 238 threaded upon the spindle-at 240 'and' locked in place by a nut 242, the lower por I vtion of thespringoccupying a recess inthe slide; Beneath the recess, threaded upon the I spindle, is a nut and lock-nut 244 contacting 2$- withjthe bottom oftheslide; Y .Entering a depress on in the inner face "o f'the'slide is the pin of a crank-disk 246' fixed upon theforward extremity of a horizontal shaft 248 rotatable in the casing 101 and constantlydriven by V afi spir'ii'l-gearing 250 'froman actuating shaft 252 journaled across the casing. As the crank-disk 246 is rotated, it raises and lowers the-slide, andthroughthe spring 236 carries up the spindle232 until the nut 242 contacts-with a'surface2'56 upon the'casing 10 1. The spring '236 then yields to give a period of 'lost-m'otion, during which the cen-,

cover-strip 259, acting to prevent the displacement ofthe staples. The inner and outer elevating cylinders 226, 226are secured by a screw 264(Fig. 3'),'passing through a slot in the cylinder 224 and alsointo aslot'injthe casing portion 228, to a disk 266 loose upon vthespindle 232; Thisdisk restslat its under side upon carrier-pins 268 moving freely through openings'in; the disk 230 and bear- ;ing at their lower. extremities upon the upper end of a sleeve .270surrounding the spindle andturning withinthe casing 101. A helical spring 272, situated about'the spindle. contacts at its upper end with a collar 274 secured to the spindle, and bears at'its lower extremity upon the disk1266'. this springtending to? keep said disk seated upon its supportingpins. The sleeve 270has formed upon its interior a helix, engaging a corresponding helix 27 6 upon the spindle. Upon the outside of the sleeve are elongated gear-teeth 278,

' with which meshes a segment 280 upon the end of a lever 282 fulcrumed upon the casing. Arranged to turn about'the fulcrum of this lever is'an arm 286 having a pin 288 projectingintoa groove in a'c-am-disk 290. This pin also passes through an arcuate slot 292 in the adjacentendof the lever 282, and may be fixed in place therein by a nut 294 threaded upon the upper extremity of the pin and hearing against the top of the lever. Screws 2%, 296 are threaded through the opposite sides=ofthe=lever, with their points entering the slot 292 and bearing against the pin 288. By'these screws, the 'angular'position of the lever 282'1nay be changed, and the adjustment fixed byjthe nut 294. This, by turning the sleeve 270, varies its height upon the helix 276, and consequently the initial location oft'heupper edges ofthe cylinders 226, 226 with reference to the space'205. 'The disk 290 issecured forrotation to a vertical shaft 298 j'ournaled in'the casing 101 and driven by bevel-gearing 300 from'the shaft 248. As has already been pointed out, the

crank-disk 246 raises the central elevating cylinder from its lowest point, determined by the location ofthe nuts 244 onthe spindle and at which it is beneaththe mass of staples over the space 205-in the hopper, to the highest point of its travel, when the nut 242 contacts with the casing-surface 256. The extent of this upward travel maybe adjusted'by changing thejposition of the sleeve 238 and nut 242. WVhen the pin 288 is in the circularpor tion of the groove ofthe'cam 290, the gearing 27 8,280 has no'efi'ect upon the sleeve270,

7 so that the helices o'fthe sleeve and spindle engage one another to cause the inner and outer'elevating cylinders to'rise with the central cylinder. ward movement of-the cylinder 224, however. the pin enters oneof the outwardly curved portions of the cam-groove, which so rotates v the sleeve 270 that it causes it to be held back upon the helix, retaining the pins 268 and disk 266 lowered under the influence of the spring272 and allowing'the cylinders 226, 226to remain-for atime intheir initial position. This brings'the upper edge of the cylinder 224 from the-plane at which it is illus trated in Fig. 2 of the drawings to that at which it appears in Fig. 3, in which a circumferential group of thestaples has been engaged by the moving cylinder and carried above the mass in the hopper. Now the oppositelyincline'd portion of the cam-groove 'turns'the sleeve 270 in the other direction,

raising the pins'268 and the disk 266 until the cylinders 226, 226 overtake the central cylinder. These elements are now related as is shown in-Fig. 4, causingth'e staples "to be centralized by the-contact ofthe cylinders 226 with the inner sidesof' the legs, so that-the At'thebeginning of the updepressions in their yokes engage the edge of the intermediate cylinder and hang symmetrically thereon. 1 Another relative movement of separation and alinement is imparted to the cylinders by the succeeding portion of the cam-groove, thisybringing them into the relation appearingdn Fig. 5 and thento that. illustrated in Fig. 6. Thereafter, the circular portion ofthe groove comes into action, and during the remainder of the upward travel the cylinders move together until they have returned to their lowered position.

shouldbe observed that the cam 290 is so designed that when the cylinders are ingtheir staple-receiving position, theupper edges occupy substantially thesame horizontal plane (Fig. 2) to permit the staples to readily pass over thenntobe taken up by the central cyl inder; but that when they are in their final. delivering position, as appears at the upper portion ofFigl 3, the central cylinder is slightstaples which they carry are in the highest ly elevated aboveits companions to hold the staples in their true central relation and in correct alinement with the raceway 258.

When the elevating cylinders with the position, in co-operationwith the raceway 258, said staples are in the plane of movement of delivermg orfeeding members, here shown as conslsting oiia circular series of adjustment through their disk, being'held against rotation by lock-nuts 310. The brushes are revolved continuously by spurgearing 312 connecting the sleeve 308 and a vertical shaft 314ajournaled in the casing 200,

which shaft is driven by spiral-gearing. 316 from an inclined shaft 318 rotatable in the q Casing-sectionlOl', this shaft 318' being in turn driven by spiral-gearing 320 from the actuating shaft 252. When the elevating cylinders are in the final or deliveringpositiou,

(Fig. 3), the brushes 3 02 act to sweep tlie staples from themand complete theoper- 'ation of supplying the raceway 258, down which said staples slide by gravity. If the raceway becomes completely filled with staples, because the rate of supply exceeds that of utilization, the brush fibers simply yield, Without exertingunduepressure upon the. accumulated staples. Depending from disk 306 is a skirt 322, extending into proximity to the space 205 and therefore to the staples lying thereover. The shirt has agitating projections 324, which pass through the staples and distribute them about the tops of the cylinders, preventing them from so I massing that they bridge overthe spaceand thus fail to settle upon the cylinder 224 for elevating engagement by it. I

The present application is a division of that apphcation for improvements 1n machines for assembling and mounting articles, filed on November'l2, 1921, inthe nameof James W. Nourbourn, administrator of the estate of Albert Latham, deceased, and bearing the Sc rial No. 514,621.. This applicationmatured into Letters Patent No. 1,681,24le on August 21, 1928. Olaimsgeneric to this invention are presented in a companion application for im provcments in feeding mechanisms, filed on the same date as this appllcatlon 1n the name oi": said James Nourbourn, administrator,

Serial No, 229,187.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent or the United States is:

'1. In a machine ofthe class described, an art1cle-receptacle, an article-conveyor leading therefrom, an article-carrying member operating in the receptacle, a plurality of article positioning members co-operating with the carryingmember, delivering means, and means formoving the delivering means along and in contact with a series of positioned articles to advance them to the conveyor. 2. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, an article-conveyor" leadingtherefrom, an article-carrying member operating in the receptacle, a plurality of article-positioning members movable at oppo site sides of the carrying member, and means for delivering the positioned articles to the conveyor. V

In a machine of the class described, an

article-receptacle, an article-conveyor lead-- ing therefrom, an article-carrying member operating 1n the receptacle, means for moving the carrying member to elevate articles from those in the receptacle, an article-positioning member cooperating with the carry ingmember, means for moving the positioning member to arrange the elevated articles upon the carrying member, and means for delivering the positioned articles to the con; veyor. i i

hln a machine of the classdescribed, an

article-receptacle, an article-conveyor leading there-from, an article-carrying member operating in the receptacle, article-positioning membersco-operating with opposite sides of the carrying member, means for moving the aositioning members to arrangethe elevated articles upon the carrying member, and means tor delivering the pos1t1oned art1cles to the conveyor.

1 5. In amachineot the class described, an

article-receptacle, an article-conveyor lead ing therefrom, an article-carrying member o ierating in the receptacle, a plurality of article-positioning members co-operating with the carrying member, and a rotatable delivering member arranged to contact with the positioned articles and co-operating with the conveyor. 1

'6; Ina machine of the class described, :an article-receptacle, an article-conveyor lead- .ing therefrom, an article-carrying member operating in the receptacle, means for moving the carrying member-to elevatearticles from those in-the receptacle, an article-positioning member co-operating with the carrying memtivelytoand co-operating with the carrying mem ier, article-agitating means and means for delivering the-positioned articles to the conveyor;

elevatethe articles,'inner and outer cylinders 25. In a machine of the class described, an z-irticle-reccptacle, a raceway leadlng therefrom, acylmder movable m the receptacle to elevateithe articles, inner and outer cylinders co-operating with thexelevatlng cylinder and beingmovable into-and out of contact with the articles during their elevation, and means co-operating with the cylinders to deliver articles to thearaceway. r r

- 0.11m a machine of the class described, an

article-receptacle, raceway leading therefrom, a cylinderinovablein the receptacle to elevate the articles, a plurality of concentric cylinders co-operating with the elevatmg cylinder and movable differently therefrom to act upon the articles-and means co-Operating with the cylinders to deliver articles to the raceway.

1 10. In a machine o'ftheclass described, an

:ilrtiole-receptacle, a raceway leading therefrom, a cylinder movable in the receptacleto elevate-the articles, and a brush cooperating withthe cylinder Ito deliver articles to the raceway.

r 11, In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, a raceway "leading therefrom, a cylinder movable in the receptacle to elevate the articles, inner and outer cylinders co operating with the elevating cylinder and being movable into and out of contact with the articles during their elevation, and a rotatable brush jco-operatin g with the cylinders to deliver articles to the raceway.

'12. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, a raceway leading there: from, a cylinder movable in the receptacle to eoro mrating withithe elevating cylinder and being movable into and out. of contact with the .articlesduring their elevation, means cooperating wvith ,the cylinders ,to deliver articles tothe raceway, andarticle-agitating means rotatable with the deliver means.

13. In a machine of the class escribed, a staple-receptacle, a raceway leading therefrom, a movable carriermember arranged to engage the staple-yokes, means for moving the staples on the carrier member to aline them with the raceway, and means for delivering the alined staples to the raceway;

14. In a'machine of the class described, a staple-receptacle,. a raceway leading therefrom, a movable carrier member arranged to engage the staple-yokes, means for centralizing the staples transversely of the carrier member, and means for delivering the thus positioned staples to the raceway.

, 15. In a machine of the class described, a receptacle for staples with yokes having depressions, an elevating member operating in the receptacle and constructed .to enter the depressionsand support the staples astride, means for moving the staples upon the elevatin g member to bring the yoke-depressions into engagement with said member, and means for delivering the thus positioned staples to the raceway.

16. In a machine of the class described, a staple-receptacle, a raceway leading therefrom, a movable carrier member arranged to engage the 'staple-yokes, means contacting with the stapleelegs to centralize the staples transversely of the carrier, and meansfor delivering the thus positioned staples to the raceway.

17.111 a machine of the class described, a staple-receptacle, a raceway leading therefrom, a movable carrier member arranged to engage the staple-yokes, a positioning member situated at each side of the carrier member and movable to engage the staple-legs, and means for-delivering the staples from the carrier member to the raceway.

- 18. In a machineof the class described, a staple-receptacle, a raceway leading therefrom, a ,movable carrier member arranged to engage the 'staple-yokes, means for moving the staples on the carrier member to aline them with the raceway, and a rotatable brush contacting with the staple-yokes to de liver them to the raceway.

1 9. In a machine of the class described, an artlcle-rcceptacle, a plurality of article-engaging members operating therein, means for movin one of the engaging members from an article-receiving man article-delivering position, and means-for imparting to another member a plurality of article-engaging movements for each movement of the associated member. 1

20. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, an article-elevating member operating in the receptacle, a positioning member for contact with the articles on the elevating member at each side thereof, means for reciprocating the elevating member, and

meansfor reciprocating the positioning memher at a different rate from the elevating member. s

21. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, an article-engaging member operating therein, an article-engaging member operating at each side of that first I mentioned, means for moving the intermediatc member from an article-receiving to an article-delivering position, and means for moving the side members simultaneously but at a different rate from the intermediate member.

22. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, an article-engaging member operating therein, an article-engaging member operating at each side of that first mentioned, means for moving the intermediate member roman article-receiving to an article-delivering position, and means for moving the side members a plurality of times for each movement of the intermediate member. 23. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, members operating therein and having portions arranged to engage articles in the receptacle, and means for moving the members from an article-receiving to an article-deliveringposition, said moving means being arranged to hold the engaging jportions 01 the members insubstantial alinementin the receiving position and separating them from each other in the delivering position. r i

24. In a machine otthe class described, an article-receptacle, members operating therein and having portions arranged to enter spaces between portions of articles in the receptacle,

and means for moving the members from an article-receiving to an article-delivering position, said moving means being arranged to rinse the separation andapproach of the engaging portions of the members during the travel. from the receiving to the delivering position. a Y 25. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle,members operating therein and having portions arranged to enter spaces between portions of articles in the receptacle,

and means for moving the members from an article-receiving to an article-delivering position, said moving means being arranged to hold the engaging port-ions of the members in substantial alinement in the receiving position and cause the separation and approach of the engaging portions of the members within the article-spaces during travel frolnthe rcceivingto the delivering position.

26. In a machine oil the class described, an article-receptacle havingat its bottom an annular opening, a plurality of concentric cylinders operating in the opening, means arranged to move the cylinders upwardly through the receptacle at different rates to the delivering position, and delivering means livering position.

wardly through the receptacle to different extents, and delivering means co-operating with the cylinders While thusdifi'erently related.

In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle havlng at'its bottom an annular opening, a plurality of concentric cylinders operatmgm the openlng from an initial position in Which their upper extremities are at substantially the same height,

means arranged to-move the cylinders upardly through thereceptacle at different rates, and delivering means co-operating With" the cylinders at their upper limit of movement. v

29. In a machine of the class described, an

,articlemeceptaclehaving at its bottom; an annular openlng, a plurality of concentric cylinders operating in the opening from an initial position in which theirupper extremities are at substantially the same height, means arranged to move the cylinders upwardly throughthe receptacle at dilferent rates, a

brush movable over the upper extremities of the cylinders While at their upper limit of movement, and a raceway to which the brush delivers the art1cles.

30. In amachine of the class described, an

article-receptacle, a plurality of article-engaging members movable therein, an actuat ing mechanism individual to each engaging member, and means movable with one engagin member and arranged to modify the actu ating mechanism of another engaging memher.

31. In a machine of the class described, an

article-receptacle, a plurality of article-engaging members movable therein, a support for each engaging member, and actuating mechanism individual to each engaging memher, the supports having co-operatmg portions Which modify the eifect of one of the actuating mechanisms.

32. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, a plurality of article-engaging members movable therein, asupport for each engaging member, actuating mechanism arranged to reciprocate one of the supports, and actuating mechanism arranged to rotate another support, the supports co-opera-ting to cause the reciprocation of the rotatable support.

33.111 a machine of the class described, an article receptacle, a plurality of article-engaging members movable therein, a support for each engaging member, actuating mechanism arranged to intermittently reciprocate:

R one of the supports, and actuating mechanism arranged to rotate another support, the

supports having co-operating port-ions arranged to cause the. supports'to be locked to move'together during the period of non-rotation and the rotatable support to reciprocate differently from the associated support during'the period of rotation.

34. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, a plurality of article-engaging members movable therein, a spindle upon which one engaging member is supported, a sleeve supporting anotherengaging memher and surrounding the spindle, there being (to-operating helices upon the spindle and sleeve, means forreciprocatingthe spindle, and means for rotating the sleeve.

35. In a machine of the class described, an article-receptacle, aplurality of article-engaging members movable therein, a spindle upon which one engaging member is supported, a sleeve supporting another engaging member and surrounding the spindle, there being co-operating helices upon the spindle Band sleeve,'crank mechanism for actuating the spindle, and a cam, for actuating the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

;,;, 7 JAMES W. NOURBOURN,

lclminz'strutor 0f the Estate of Albert La- "tham, Deceased, 

